Tibet Lhasa Tour from Kathmandu

Trip Overview

Begin your whirlwind journey to Tibet with a thrilling flight over the snowcapped silver grey Himalayan Mountains past Mt. Everest, Makalu and the Kangchanjunga peaks. The adrenaline just rushes through your body as you get to view these mountains real close-up & almost within touching distance; right from the windows of your jet. There will be 3 flights in a week usually from May to September i.e. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and it’s possible to have 2 days or a 2 weeks trip based on a round trip flight. In Lhasa visit the famous Potala and Norbulingkha palaces, the great Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple, and walk amongst the local folks in the crowded Tibetan markets – the bustling Barkhor Bazaar. Drive past the beautiful Turquoise Lake on the way to the historic town of Gyantse with its unique multi-storied Khumbum Stupa. This is a tour that stirs the emotions right to the bone as you learn of a mystical culture that, for centuries, still hasn’t changed, even with the might of china’s economic status; Tibet still stands for what it was thousands of years ago, & its ancient traditions are thankfully still the same today.

The trip makes up a number of detours for us to enjoy the highlights of the Tsang Province and Lhasa City. The tour offers wonderful insights into the life and culture of the friendly Tibetan people, & their ancient monasteries with ever chanting monks singing odes to the Buddha…

Itinerary

DAY 01: Fly to Ghongar Airport and drive to Tsedang.
Our representative (Guide) will be on standby to receive you from Airport. You will receive a warm welcome with a Khaada {White Scarf}. The Khaada is a Tibetan traditional welcoming and blessing with a scarf which means good luck too. You will then be driven to Tsedang via Samye Monastery. Overnight at your hotel

DAY 02: Sightseeing at Tadruk monastery and Yambulakhang. On the way to Lhasa we visit Samye Monastery.
Yumbulakhang Palace: Yumbulakhang is oldest palace in Tibet. It is also the oldest monumental structure in Tsedang. Mythological beliefs say that King Nyatri Tsenpo descended from heaven to build this palace in 2nd century BC. Myths say it is the founding of Tibetan civilization.Yumbulakhang is constructed at the perfect crest of the hill divided into three different components; the tower, the chapel and monks quarters.Tandruk Monastery: Not very far from Yumbulakhang, Tandruk Monastery is situated at the road side. Tan means ‘rock’ and druk means ‘dragon’ in Tibetan. The monastery got its name from the legend that it could only be built after Songtsan Gampo had turned into a rock and conquered an evil dragon. It’s said that renowned figures in the history of Tibetan Buddhism, such as Padmasambhava and Milarippa, had practiced Buddhism nearby after it was built and the remaining relics are Sacred for the devotees.

On our way to Lhasa, we visit the Samye Monastery: Samye Monastery was founded in the 8th century during the reign of King Trisong Detsen with the help of the Indian Buddhist masters Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita, whom the king had invited to Tibet to help spread Buddhism. Padamasambhava is credited with subduing the local spirits and winning them over to Buddhism. The first Tibetan monks were ordained here after examination, and are referred to as the Seven Examined Men. Over the centuries Samye has been associated with various schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Padmasambhava’s involvement makes Samye important in the Nyingma School, but it was later taken over by the Sakya and Gelugpa schools. Today, Tibetans of all traditions come to worship here.

DAY 03 – 04: IN LHASA.
Two full days sightseeing of Lhasa; this includes JOKHANG TEMPLE, BARKHOR BAZAAR, POTALA PALACE, DREYPUNG AND SERA MONASTERIES. Drepung Monastery was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden (1397-1449), one of Tsongkhapa’s main disciples, and it was named after the sacred abode in South India of Shridhanyakataka. Drepung was the principal seat of the Gelugpa School until the Great Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala and it retained the premier place amongst the four great Gelugpa monasteries. Drepung was known for the high standards of its academic study, and was called the Nalanda of Tibet, a reference to the great Buddhist monastic university of India. We next stroll down Barkhor Street, which has a history of over 1,000 years, & surrounds the Jokhang Temple. It was originally an important route for Tibetan Buddhists to walk clockwise around to show their devotion. This religious deed is called ‘Barkhor’ in Tibetan Language. As one of the most bustling sections in Lhasa nowadays, Barkhor Street features the sale of various kinds of handicrafts and living necessities from local areas, & also includes wares from neighboring India and Nepal. Overnight in hotel Shambala

DAY 05: LHASA – GYANTSE:
Today we enjoy a full day picturesque drive along the turquoise lake of Yamdrok, crossing over Kampa-la Pass (4794M) and the Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo). After breakfast, you will leave for Gyantse. En-route you will enjoy the beautiful Scorpion shaped Yamdrok Lake. Before that you will visit the Drolma Lhakang Temple. You will also get some good pictures of Yamdrok Lake at the highest elevation en-& route to Gyantse, Kampa La above below 4800meters.

Drolma Lhakang Temple is situated west of Lhasa about 25km. It is also on the way to Gonggar Airport. This temple might seem small and ignored by tourists but this temple is where the greatest Bon-Po master Atisha spent the last years of his life. This temple is of Drolma or Tara, a famous female bodhisattva.

Yamdrok Lake: After an hour or so of driving from Lhasa, you will reach the foothills of Kampa la. From the vantage point of Kampa La, you will have your best views of Yamdrok Lake. You may not get to see the scorpion shaped lake but you will see the sky blue water & also the snowcapped mountains on a sunny winter morning. You will drive along the Yamdrok Lake for about an hour to Gyantse. On arrival at Gyantse you may definitely be pretty tired. You will be driven to already booked hotel, refresh & take rest and have dinner. Overnight at a hotel in Gyantse

DAY 06: GYANTSE (3,950M)-XIGATSE, 90KM, APPROX 2 HRS DRIVE.
After breakfast, our driver will first drop you and the guide at the Khumbum and Pelku Chode. These are very important sightseeing spots when touring Gyantse.

Khumbum: The first Khumbum was founded in the year 1427 by a Gyantse prince. It has nine Lhakangs or levels, & is 35 metres (115 ft) high surmounted by a golden dome, and contains 77 chapels which line its walls. Many statues were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and have been replaced by clay images. But it lacks the artistic merits of the original images which is a sad incident.

Pelku Chode: Pelku Chode is the Monastery inside the same compound of Khumbum. After concluding our sightseeing of Khumbum and Pelku Chode, you will drive to Xigatse. It’s about 95 km from Gyantse. On arrival at Xigatse you will be driven to your Hotel for rest & supper. Overnight in Xigatse

In the morning after b/fast, we go sightseeing to the Khumbum Stupa & Palkor Monastery and drive through Tibet’s biggest Agricultural fields to Xigatse for sight seeing at Panchen Lama’s Tashilunpu Monastery. Over night in hotel Xigatse

DAY 07: XIGATSE – LHASA
Drive back from Xigatse to Lhasa through the Brahmaputra River stream and spend the last night in Lhasa at our hotel.

DAY 08: LHASA – KATHMANDU
Early morning after b/fast, we drive down to Gongaar airport for our departure flight to Katmandu or to an onward destination of your choice; & this concludes our dream jet tour of a great civilization that we all know of as ‘Tibet’.

Trip Facts

Trip Duration: 8 Days

Activities: Cultural Tours

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